


Thin Ice

by rockwell_psycho



Category: The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, F/M, Fluff, Huddling For Warmth, Mutual Pining, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Reader-Insert, Sharing a Bed, Tenderness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-10-06
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:15:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26862010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rockwell_psycho/pseuds/rockwell_psycho
Summary: You accidentally fall through the ice on a lake andoh no, there was only one bedMando has to warm you up.
Relationships: Din Djarin & Reader, The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV)/Reader, The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV)/You
Comments: 2
Kudos: 198





	Thin Ice

“Hey, wait! Can you like… Slow down a little?” 

You were always impressed at how The Child managed to move so fast with his tiny legs - apparently all children’s superpower. The little one fell down into a huge pile of snow, but it didn’t upset him, only made him coo with excitement as he continued exploring this new and interesting place.

You didn’t quite share his excitement. It was cold, and as much as you found the snow really beautiful, you didn’t feel comfortable about it. It seemed like your lungs weren’t even used to this chilly, frosty air, so different from the warmth of your home planet.

_“Well, y/n… you wanted to see the world, didn’t you?..”_

You sighed and kept walking. You were responsible for the kid after all. Although you had to admit - you grew really fond of this little green bean, and you’d care for him even if you weren’t paid for that. You knew on the one hand it was mostly just an excuse - The Mandalorian would probably have managed to take care of The Child without your help, but… You needed a job, and he had a kind heart, that was it.

For ages you’ve been working in a cantina on a distant planet. You’ve never left this place before, but you didn’t complain. What you earned was enough to survive and take care of your old parents. It wasn’t always easy to work in a place full of drunken smugglers but you learnt to protect yourself. Steady customers knew and respected you. Mando was among them. He wasn’t one of the drunken smugglers, but he used to drop into the cantina from time to time. He was one of your favorite customers ever, always nice and respectful, you didn’t know his real name and haven’t seen his face but somehow you just knew you could trust him. You had really good conversations. Unlike most of the people you had to deal with every day, when he asked how the things were going, it felt like he really cared, not just said it for the sake of polite small talk. You knew he would help if you needed it… And one day you really needed his help.

You didn’t work on that night and didn’t know exactly what happened, only the stories from your colleagues… Ex-colleagues now… There was a huge drunken fight that led to a fire accident and an explosion. The cantina was destroyed and for now there was no money to fix it. You needed a new job, but couldn’t find it in a small place you lived. When Mando arrived on your planet again, he only found the ruins on the place of the cantina. But thanks to the stars you managed to meet him. You didn’t know who else to ask, and you didn’t even know what exactly to ask for… Maybe he could take you somewhere… anywhere… To some place where finding the job wouldn’t be that hard. You were smart and handy, could cook and clean, you were a fast learner… Mando had to take a moment to think it all over. He couldn’t just simply live you in such a desperate situation. From all he knew, you weren’t a kind of person who often asks for favors. He suggested sharing his bounty with you, but you didn’t agree to that.

“It’s a generous offer, Mando, but I can’t take it just like that. I’m not used to such gifts. I only get paid for the work I do.”

Mando was silent for a while. As you couldn’t see his face, you could only guess what he was thinking about.

“How about working _for me_ than?” He finally said.

And this is how you got here, on this cold snowy planet, looking for the little green kid.

You agreed it was just a temporary job. You’d send a part of your salary to your parents and save the rest; once you collect enough money to start something on your own - you’d go back to your place. Not that Mando had something against you, absolutely not. He just didn’t want you to risk your life travelling with him.

“A bounty hunter’s job isn’t really the best one for a young woman like you,” he told you. “I know you’re brave, smart and can stand up for yourself, but… It’s not always enough.” You weren’t offended by these words as you knew exactly what he meant by them. You’ve never been helpless or timid, but still you used to lead a quiet and peaceful life that was far from a bounty hunters’ lifestyle. So you promised him not to take risks on purpose and just be his helper.

Your main responsibility was, of course, The Child. One of the reasons Mando decided on giving you this job was that you immediately liked each other. The Child was often suspicious of the people he didn’t know, but not with you - you gained his trust with surprising ease.

So far, you actually really enjoyed what you were doing and your new company. For sure you were curious about what Mando was up to when he was away. Maybe you were missing some great adventures? But you kept reminding yourself you weren’t here for this. You were here to help him out, not to be a burden or someone he had to worry about. You already owed him big time. 

Yes, so far everything was fine...

...Sometimes though, you felt some strange vibes between you and him. Sometimes the silence between the two of you was becoming awkward. Sometimes you felt the urge to touch him, maybe like… Lay your head on his shoulder as you were sitting beside him… Show your affection somehow. Sometimes you thought this desire was mutual. As the days passed, you inevitably were becoming closer, and you wished you could just see his eyes, his expression when he spoke to you. You tried to chase away these thoughts because Mando clearly wasn’t looking for romance. Neither did you, initially… But sometimes you just couldn’t help it. 

Anyway, right now Mando was away, and the kid for some reason was desperate to go for an evening walk, so you followed him wrapping yourself up in a parka. The cold wind and frosty air didn’t bring you much joy at all. The Child didn’t seem to care, all he wanted to do was exploring.

“Hey, kiddo! I said wait for me!”

Suddenly you felt something cracking underneath your foot. A gasp escaped your lips as you realized you were standing on ice that covered a surface of some lake or pond. And the ice didn’t seem thick enough to actually walk on it…

“Sweetheart…” you breathed out. The Child sensed the anxious notes in your voice and turned to you, tilting his head in confusion.

“Okay… now come here… carefully…” The kid obeyed and you felt relieved as you extended your hands to grab him. When you shifted a little, moving towards him, the thin ice cracked again, and…

Everything happened way too fast: you grabbed the little one and made a step back, when the icy surface broke underneath you. Instinctively, you pushed The Child away and he fell in a snow pile on the lake shore. You tried to grip onto something, but there was nothing except the cracking ice, and the lake was suddenly deep. One second and you got under water almost completely, you came to the surface flouncing and gasping for air, trying hard to get out, but the ice just kept breaking under your hands.

The Child looked scared, he was about to rush to you, but you stopped him.

“NO! STAY AWAY FROM THE ICE!!!”

The last thing you needed right now was the kid getting into the water with you. You needed to hold onto something, but you couldn’t find a thing. Panic started to overwhelm you. Suddenly The Child stretched his little hand out in your direction. For a second nothing happened, and then you felt like something was holding you, tugging you out of the water. Apparently the little one possessed some kind of a superpower… Maybe it was The Force, which you heard about from some visitors of your cantina?.. You weren’t sure he’d manage to lift you up from the water completely but he definitely was helping.

“Y/n!”

That’s when you heard the sound of a familiar voice.

“Mando! Careful!”

For a moment you got scared he might step on the ice as well, but he stopped right at the brim. 

“Y/n, give me your hand! Come on!”

Clenching your teeth with a desperate grunt you jerked up from the water and managed to grab his hand. His grip was firm and tight as he pulled you out of the water into his arms.

“M-mando, I… Th-thank you…” you practically sobbed into his chest, your body trembling violently as he held you.

“I’m here, y/n, I’m here. All is fine now,” his voice sounded so soothing through the modulator, but as the adrenaline rush was fading, you realized how cold you were. Freezing, terribly cold. You’ve never been that cold in your entire life.

“Come on, let’s get you inside.”

* * *

Thankfully, you hadn’t gone too far from the ship. The Child passed out in Mando’s arms on the way, and he had to put the little one in his crib before getting back to you.

“You need to take this off.”

Chattering your teeth with cold you fumbled with the zipper with no success - you could hardly feel your fingers, and you were still shaking. But The Mandalorian was here for you. He quickly unzipped and tugged off your wet and heavy parka; your sweater, undershirt, pants and boots followed.

“There you go,” he murmured, undressing you. It felt weird being around him exposed like that only wearing your damp underwear, but it certainly wasn’t the time to get shy. Your nakedness soon was covered with a warm blanket, as he wrapped it around your frame, rubbing your shoulders to warm you up. He took off his gloves and grabbed your hands in his, gently chafing your skin until you finally managed to move your fingers.

The realization hit you all of a sudden - it was the first time ever you touched Mando’s bare skin. You’ve been travelling with him for a while already, so you happened to see him without armor. The only thing he was always wearing in your presence was the helmet; other parts of the armor weren’t that important, as far as you knew. But you’ve never had a skin to skin contact of any kind… Until now. And that’s why this simple, innocent gesture felt suddenly intimate. Mando probably realized that too as he slightly drew away from you.

“I’ll… Get you something warm to drink.” 

* * *

Still wrapped in the blanket you curled up on your cot. It was slowly getting better. When Mando came back in a couple of minutes with some herbal tea from your thermos, you even managed to get into a sitting position. Your hands were still shaky though, so he had to bring the drink to your lips.

“Better?” he asked as you made a couple of sips.

“Yeah,” you nodded, curling underneath the blanket again. “I-I’ll be fine, really. There’s no need to worry.”

He tilted his head to the side, observing you. Somehow you could feel concern even without seeing his expression.

“You’re still trembling,” he stated, before stepping out of your sight. He didn’t leave the room though. You heard the metal clatter of beskar - he was taking the armor off, you guessed, and the memory of his big hand on yours flashed in your brain.

"M-Mando, you don't have to..."

"It's okay," The Mandalorian said quietly, as he reached the blanket. You shifted a little, allowing him to lie beside you, spooning you from behind. Wrapping his arms around you carefully, he pulled you a bit closer against his chest, and you flinched, wincing as you felt the cold steel of his helmet against the back of your neck. It seemed like the beskar has taken in the frost from outside - it was almost as cold as ice. Mando realized that too. You could hear him sighing through the modulator.

"Y/n..."

"Yes?.."

"I'm gonna take it off, but you must promise me not to open your eyes and not to turn your head in my direction. Will you do that?"

"I will," you breathed out. "I… know how it's important for you. You know you can trust me, Mando."

"I do.”

You wanted to tell him how grateful you were and how you actually cherished his trust and your… Friendship? Relationship? Whatever kind of bond you shared, but you couldn’t even put it into words. His closeness made you suddenly emotional, especially when you felt warm breath instead of cold metal against your skin. Your eyes were shut tightly and at that moment you were afraid not only to move but to breathe. Somehow you were scared to ruin the fragile intimacy of this moment as Mando enclosed you in his arms again.

“Try to relax, okay?”

His voice sounded foreign without the modulator; familiar, but still different, bare and exposed. You weren’t sure if it’s possible to use such words to describe a voice, but that’s how you felt. You loved the sound of it. Letting out a deep trembling sigh, you relaxed against his frame, finally feeling the warmth of his body through the fabric of his undershirt. All stress caused by the lake accident was slowly ebbing away in the comfort of his embrace, but there was something else that kept bothering you.

“Mando…” you whispered quietly, “I’m sorry…”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“I failed you. My job is to look after The Child, and I failed and got in trouble. I… should’ve been more careful, I know…”

“Hey,” he cut you off, “Things like that happen sometimes, y/n. No one can be perfect. Even if you try hard, sometimes… Sometimes you just lose your footing on the thin ice.”

You heard him chuckling softly at his own metaphor; warm breath tickled the back of your neck.

“I was supposed to help, but only caused more problems instead,” you murmured bitterly.

“Y/n, stop that. You’re helping. A lot. And I…” he paused for a second as if pondering the words, “I’m really glad to have you around.”

This simple confession made your heart skip a bit. There still was a lot you wanted to tell him, to let him know, but you were lost for words. But maybe you didn’t have to say it, because he already knew.

“Thank you,” you just mumbled, “For everything, really.”

He didn’t answer, probably being lost for words as well. But you felt him nuzzling into your hair for a moment, a soft gesture full of unspoken tenderness, and it was enough.

“Sleep now,” he hushed, shifting behind you to find more comfortable position. You hummed in reply, already feeling drowsy as the warmth spread over you, calm and safe, cradled against The Mandalorian’s firm chest.

You wished this night to last longer, because you knew you wouldn’t find him beside you as you wake up. You’d find him already wide awake and fully dressed, with the helmet back on, ready for another adventure. But for now he was right here, closer than ever. Real, warm, human. And maybe it meant nothing at all. But it might as well be the beginning of _something_.


End file.
